Meadow Brook Dairy's mission is to consistently deliver safe and wholesome products to our valued customers. To meet this objective we have developed programs and policies that focus on the safety and quality of our products. At each of our manufacturing facilities we use a food safety system call Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). HACCP is a scientific, systematic approach that assesses potential food safety issues across the food chain, from procurement and handling of raw materials, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. HACCP establishes preventive measures to keep out potential food hazards and focuses on effective recordkeeping to demonstrate a continual commitment to food safety. Additionally, we apply what are known as Good Manufacturing Practices, which are requirements that ensure foods are produced under clean and sanitary conditions. Meadow Brook Dairy's commitment to food safety also addresses the issue of food allergens. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized egg, milk, peanuts, fish, crustacea, soy, tree nuts, and wheat as the eight most common allergens that can cause serious allergic reactions in some individuals. We consider all possible sources of the eight most common allergens from procurement of ingredients throughout our manufacturing process, and when present in our products, we declare these ingredients on the product label. Most of our production lines are used to produce multiple products. Because some allergic consumers may be sensitive to small amounts of the allergenic protein, we understand their concern about the potential carryover of an allergen between products that are manufactured on shared equipment. At Meadow Brook Dairy, we have stringent equipment cleaning procedures and product changeover practices to prevent allergen cross-contamination. We comply with regulations that mandate labeling of ingredients, including any allergenic ingredients. We also include trans fat content on the labels of our products as required by a recent FDA regulation. All of our milk, cream and orange juice products have a declaration of zero grams trans fat per 8 fl oz serving. We have a labeling specialist on staff that can answer specific questions. Our Grade "A" dairy operations are inspected by state regulatory agencies on a quarterly basis. Juice operations are inspected by FDA or state regulatory on an annual basis to assure compliance with FDA's Juice HACCP regulation. In addition to regulatory inspections, each manufacturing location is audited twice a year by an accredited third party audit firm. These audits provide an objective assessment of the facilities compliance with our quality, food safety and security policies. The audit process helps us maintain high standards for quality. Security has become a priority in the food industry. The security of our employees, facilities and products is critical to our business. We require security measures not only at our manufacturing locations but also at our suppliers and distribution points. Measures include employee checks, visitor controls, and facility checks conducted at specific frequencies. At Meadow Brook Dairy, we are also mindful of the environment. We recycle our plastic bottles. We purchase trucks for maximum fuel efficiency, and recycle truck oil by burning it for heat in our garage. Our trucks are also shut off at every stop, reducing exhaust. We shred our paper, saving hundreds of trees each year. In addition, we recycle all used cell phones, by donating them for re-use by a local battered women's shelter.
| 
